With every passing day, it somehow seems a new connection is formed between Victor Wembanyama and the OKC Thunder.
Whether it's the early-season shots taken at Chet Holmgren or his growing case to swipe the league's MVP award away from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the big man and Oklahoma City have often been found linked to one another here in 2025-26.
Now, even with the regular season officially coming to an end this past Sunday, more noteworthy parallels continue to be drawn.
During their 135-103 loss to the Phoenix Suns in OKC's season finale, sophomore center Branden Carlson posted a tremendous individual stat line of 26 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks, and two steals while shooting 50.0 percent from both the field and beyond the arc.
With his efforts, Carlson became just the second player to record 10 rebounds, five blocks, and five made three-pointers in a single game this season.
The only other player to register such a line is, you guessed it, Wemby, who posted 38 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks while cashing home on six triples in San Antonio's 121-117 win over the Bulls back in November.
Thunder have one of NBA's best bargain contracts in Branden Carlson
When the Thunder initially signed Carlson to a non-guaranteed, $636,435 deal last offseason, many believed it to be one of the best bargain deals in the association.
Nine months later, this sentiment has only grown stronger, and Sunday's performance further proved it.
Carlson may find himself on a two-way contract and, in turn, logging minutes down with the OKC Blue from time to time, but he is miles ahead of the vast majority of development league players out there.
Whether it's his impressive averages of 9.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks on 52.2 percent shooting from the floor and 37.9 percent shooting from deep when logging double-digit minutes with the varsity team this year, or his recent displays of highly exclusive levels of on-court versatility, the pivot has proven himself to be a tremendous young prospect for the Thunder.
His play has even earned ample praise from his All-Star running mates, with Holmgren specifically labeling him "a heck of a player."
The cash-strapped Thunder have managed to navigate around the league's newly implemented tax apron hurdles by using their G League team as if it were an MLB farm team.
Carlson's recent performance only further proves this belief.
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